The Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is hosting a consultation on regulations of Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) rating and data providers.

Sixteen years—after 16 years, Hong Kong will make polluters pay for their fair share as the Legislative Council passes the Waste Disposal (Charging for Municipal Solid Waste) (Amendment) Bill 2018. Friends of the Earth (HK) most certainly welcomes the passing of this bill and Hong Kong taking the first steps to join the global cities.

The Environmental Protection Department launched the consultation on the “Regulation of Disposable Plastic Tableware” today. The government proposes to regulate the use of single-use plastic tableware including cutleries, cups, and food containers for dine-in and takeaway services at 2025 earliest.

Hong Kong’s waste crisis is well-known. Despite the government pouring resources into the popular Big Waster and the overarching Food Wise campaign, the city’s waste generation is still on a steady rising trend.

Almost 10 years since “A Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong”, Friends of the Earth (HK) welcomes the “Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035” published by the Environment Bureau today. Among the list of actions proposed, we welcome the intent to develop a more accurate district-based air quality monitoring model with smart lampposts and to explore collaboration with the governments of Guangdong and Macao in reducing regional air pollution.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has launched a public consultation on the standards for the content and format of information disclosure by companies that are publicly issuing securities. Friends of the Earth (HK) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) submitted a joint statement supporting CSRC for recognising the importance of environmental and social issues in the context of corporate ESG transparency.

Today is Earth Day 2021. Friends of the Earth (HK) organized its annual forum (the Earth Forum) with the theme of "Green Finance as a Catalyst of Decarbonization in Asia”. Representatives from Hong Kong regulatory bodies and European financial associations, senior management of listed companies from around Asia, and leading academic figures in the topic of Sustainable Finance were invited as honourable speakers to analyse latest trends in green finance, capital market's response to climate change, and the cultivation of green finance talents.

Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, announced this morning that Japan has decided to discharge the treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the ocean. The news sparked immediate and serious concerns from neighbouring countries...

The Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development convene today to discuss on the HK$6.8 billion financial assistance and the way forward of Ocean Park. Ocean Park shares a long history with Hong Kong since its opening in 1977 and positions itself as an edutainment park and a conservation centre...

Aftershocks have occurred 10 years after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. Magnitude 7.3 earthquakes struck offshore from Fukushima prefecture, causing a few tanks storing radioactive water to shift and cooling water levels to fall in two of the reactors at the Daichii power plant...